Police body cameras: Market research underway after Commissioner backs move
Police are considering introducing body-worn cameras for officers but say more work is needed before any permanent rollout.
The police service has begun market research on potential cameras but is yet to secure funding or Cabinet approval and hasn’t started looking for a potential provider.
Request for information (RFI) documents show police are interested in solutions that “are suitable for operational policing environments and extended use” of 12 hours or more.
Police are also seeking options that provide “secure capture” and encrypted on-device storage, as well as location services and real-time capabilities “such as livestreaming, translation, push-to-talk communications”.
Assistant police commissioner of capability and infrastructure Sam Hoyle said no decisions have been made, and police are unable to confirm timeframes.
“The Commissioner has publicly signalled body-worn cameras as a priority for New Zealand Police,” Hoyle said.
“We are one of the few law enforcement agencies that does not use body-worn cameras. They offer many benefits, including evidential value, and can help keep our staff safe by supporting decision-making in volatile situations.”
Police Minister Mark Mitchell said he supported any measures that improved police and public safety, but Hoyle said any rollout would still require Government approval of a business case and funding.
“In addition, legal, privacy and operational considerations must be thoroughly worked through before introducing this capability and technology.”
Te Pāti Māori has been calling for body cameras to be mandatory “to ensure the safety of all those who come into contact with law enforcement”.
In June last year, Commissioner Richard Chambers tasked officials with exploring options for equipping frontline officers with body cameras as a “priority”.
“They have many benefits, including their evidential value. They can also help keep my staff safe in terms of their decision-making when dealing with volatile situations,” Chambers said at the time.
The New Zealand Police Association has been supportive of adopting the cameras, but said policy, privacy and training must keep up with the new technology.
Police body cameras are widely used internationally, including in the US and Australia.
Azaria Howell is a multimedia reporter working from Parliament’s press gallery. She joined NZME in 2022 and became a Newstalk ZB political reporter in late 2024, with a keen interest in public service agency reform and government spending.
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